> Subject: Why and How the Military Salutes President Bush
>
> Have you noticed a difference in the salute given by our military men
> and women as President Bush walks by? Most folks would not notice
> anything,
> but military people see it right away. Watch: when President Bush leaves
> his helicopter or Air Force One, the honor guards salute and face him as
> he
> disembarks, then turn their faces towards him as he passes by. They
> continue to salute his back as he walks away. This kind of salute has not
> been
> seen in the previous eight years, though it is customary courtesy to the
> Commander-in-Chief. You see, soldiers aren't required to turn and face
> the President as they salute. They are not required to salute his back.
> They are only required to salute. They can remain face-forward the
> entire time.
> And that is what they did during Bill Clinton's entire Presidency. Our
> soldiers were forced to obey Clinton's orders, but they were not forced
> to
> respect him. From their salutes, we can surmise that they did not. Why is
> such
> respect afforded to President Bush? He doesn't even know how to bite his
> lower
> lip and he gets teary-eyed whenever he speaks! ...The following incident
> from Major General Van Antwerp may give us an insight. Gen. Antwerp is
> president of the Officers' Christian Fellowship. He lost nearly all his
> staff
> when the Pentagon was attacked Sept.11. His executive officer LTC Brian
> Birdwell
> was badly burned and in the hospital when President Bush visited him. Our
> President spent time and prayed with Brian. As he was getting ready to
> leave, he went to the foot of Brian's bed and saluted. He held his
> salute until Brian was able to raise his burned and bandaged arm, ever so
> slowly, in return. The Commander-in-Chief never initiates a salute,
> except in
> the case of a Congressional Medal of Honor winner. The injured soldier
> did
> not have to return the salute. But he did, out of respect to his
> President - a Soldiers
> President. Congressman JC Watts (R. Oklahoma) said, "Character
> is doing the right thing when nobody is looking. In this time of war and
> danger,
> I am so grateful to have a President whom the soldiers salute - fully."
>
> On Special Report with Brit Hume, at the close of the show when they
> normally have some funny video clip, they showed President Bush and the
> First Lady on their way to Marine One to leave for Camp David for the
> weekend.
>
> As the video starts, the First Lady is leading the way into the
> helicopter with the spaniel dog on the leash, and the president is right
> behind
> her with the Scotty on the leash. As the First Lady entered the chopper,

continued, > the Marine at the gangway saluted and held his salute. The Scottie the
> President was walking decided it wanted to squat right when he got to
> steps. The
> president pulled on its' leash, but the stubborn Scottie persisted in
> squatting. The President bent down and scooped up the pooch and entered
> Marine One. After he entered, the Marine cut his salute and returned to
> the position of attention. Moments later the president reemerged from the
> helicopter and out onto the steps. The Marine was standing at
> attention, head and eyes straight ahead. The president leaned over and
> tapped him
> on the left arm. The startled Marine turned his body toward the president
> and received his returned salute!
>
> I was so impressed by this true act of respect for our military people
> by our president! He really does get it. Most any other person of his
> stature would have just continued his journey, disregarding the neglected
> return salute. Not George W. Bush. He is earning the respect of the
> military
> community, not expecting it - as most would.